Fruit-picker.



M. I. RANDALL.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

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M. I. RANDALL.

FRUIT PICKER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8, 1912.

1,077,640, Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

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\IOLUA\BI1 PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, n. c.

MARION I. RANDALL,- or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

FRUIT PIGICER.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 19-13.

Application filed October '8, 1912 Serial Nb. 724.615;

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, MARION I. RANDALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit- Pickers, of whichthe following, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvementsin fruit gatherers and has to do more particularly with an improved mechanism for facilitating severance of the stems of the fruit from the'branches without causing injury to the fruit.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a manually operable holder having movable elements thereon adapted to be dis posed on opposite sides of a branch and moved into contact with the fruit tosever the stem or stems from the branch-by engagement of the movable elements with the fruit.

y My invention also includes improved means" for applying power to drive elements mountedin the manually. operable holder or head in such a manner as; to'permit of free manipulation ofthe 'holder in order to operate throughout a relatively extended range of the tree. I

A further object of my invention is to provide a standard for elevated platforms provided with an improvedform-ofpower transmission means-for driving; the elements mounted in the holder.

Other features of novelty will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and will be more particularly pointed out in and by the appended claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view in elevation of one form of my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same looking at right angles fromthe position shown-in Fig; 1. Fig.3 is an enlarged view of the holder or head and the fruit engag ing elements, the parts being shown in ele vation. Fig. A is a longitudinal sectional view of the holder and elements'shownin Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is asectional view on line 5-5 of Fig; 4. Fig.'-6 is a sectional detached view of aportion of an improved formof shaftingutilized for transmittingpower from the tower to the holder. Fig. 7 is an end elevationof one of the coupling members of my improved form of shafting.

Like numerals of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawings. I

As illustrated, the device of my invention includes a tower which may be provided with a topplatform 1 and'ladder rungs 2. The tower may consist of two ladders con nected by cross pieces 3 and spaced apart.

8 so that the shaft 4 may be operated either from the groundby the crank handle 5 or the foot treadle S. The shaft 4: is geared, as at 9, to a shaft l0 and the latter is provided with a bevelgear 11 meshing'with a bevel gear. 12. upon the lower section of an operating shaft which extends upwardly along one side of the tower ladder, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. On the upper cross; pieces 3 are secured brackets 13' in which eye bolts 14 are pivotally mounted. The eye bolts 14 turn about horizontal axes so as to accommodate any play or looseness of operation nflthe transmission shaft, and also the angular disposition thereof with respect to the vertical. Each section of the transmission shaft comprises a shaft section 15 provided with a sleeve section 1 3. The shaft portions-or sections are extended through the eye bolts 14 and the sleeve sections 16 en gage the eye bolts 14 to form a support for the shafting, which is revolved in the eye'bolts 14;. Each sleeve 16 is rigidly se cured to the shaft section 15 by a pin or equivalent part 17 extending through the sleeve and shaft. The lower end ofeach shaft 15, excepting the lowermost section, is provided with pins or studs 18, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 6. The sleeves 16 are provided with longitudinal slots or grooves 19 which terminate in annular grooves 20. The studs 18 are placed in registry with the longitudinal grooves 19 and are telescope'd in the sleeves until the studs 18 reach the annular grooves 20 whereupon'the shaft section is turned so that the studs 18 will be out of registry with the lon gitudinal grooves 19. The studs 18 will then project on opposite sides ofthe screws 21 which may be turned inwardly to engage The gear 12 is mounted the shaft section on opposite sides of the studs and non-rotatively lock the shaft of one section with the sleeve of the next lowermost section. The uppermost section extends through a bearing 22 on the platform 1.

If it is desired to operate from the platform 1, then the adjustment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is effected but if it is desired to operate from one of the ladder rungs at an elevation lower than the platform then certain of the uppermost sections are detached and the fruit gatherer is attached to the end of the uppermost section which is in operative connection with the shaft 10. It will thus be seen that the operator may start at the top of the tree and pick fruit downwardly or at any elevation necessary. If the operator is standing on the platform 1 he may operate the shafting by the treadle 8 but if he is standing on one of the rungs of the ladder, below the platform 1, a second operator will be necessary to operate the gatherer from the crank handle 5.

A flexible transmission shaft 23 may be connected with the shafting in any'desirable manner, not shown, and the shafting 23 is of sufficient length to enable the operator to reach any fruit within normal limits. Next referring to the head or holder 24, the same consists "of a two part casing or mounting 25 and 26, which may be pivotally connected at 27. The two parts of the holder may consist of thin sheet metal casings and each may be provided -with suitable bearings 27 and 28. A spring 29, secured at its ends at 30 and 31 to bearings 27 and 28 serves to normally separate the casings 25 and 26 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. Shafts 32 and 33 are mounted in bearings 27 and 28 and extend through the casings and are provided on their ends with sleeve rollers 34. and 35 of any soft material, such as rubber. Gears 36 and 37 are mounted on the shafts 32 and 33 and the faces of the teeth of the gears may be cut away as at 38 to permit the parts of the holder to open and close without interfering with the mesh engagement with the gears 36 and 37. The flexible shaft 23 may be connected with the projecting end 39 of the shaft 32.

In using the device at any elevation on the tower, the operator grasps the holder with the same in the position shown in Fig. 3 in dotted lines, and projects the rollers 34 and 35 on opposite sides of a branch from which the fruit is to be picked or gathered. The operator then closes the two parts ofothe casing into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, and moves the holders along the branch until the rollers 34; and 35 engage the fruit and the rotation of the rollers gently exerts pressure upon the surface of the fruit to sever the stems thereof from the branches without injury to the fruit.

The picked fruit may be caught by a spread of canvas or other desired receptacle suitable under the conditions and in accordance with the nature of the fruit being picked.

The device of my invention is especially adapted for picking olives.

In operation, the rollers are spread and extended on opposite sides, or rather with one roller above and the other below a branch or as many branches as the rollers are capable of extending over, depending upon their length. The device is then moved toward the fruit with the longitudinal axes of the rollers substantially at right angles to the stem so that the peripheral faces of the rotating rollers will engage the fruit and sever the same from the stems.

The soft faces of the rolls will not dent or otherwise injure the fruit but will be engaged therewith by such a gentle pressure as to remove the same with all the security of hand picking and with the added efficiency of a machine which will detach a plurality of olives or other fruit in one operative stroke or movement of the device.

It will be understood that the rollers will be rotated in opposite directions and in directions such as will tend to advance or discharge the fruit in front of the rollers, in regard to the line of shifting movement thereof toward the fruit so as not to tend to compress the fruit between the rollers, as would be the case if the rollers were rotated in a direction toward the fruit, with regard to the movement of the device toward an operating position.

While I have herein shown and described one specific form of my invention I do not wish to be limited-thereto except for such limitations as the claims may import.

I claim 1. A fruit picker or gatherer comprising maintain the parts in spaced relation, a

revoluble roller in each part adapted to be brought into engagement wit-h the fruit, and means for revolving said rollers, substantially as described.

3. A fruit gatherer or picker comprising in combination, a two part manually oper able holder, a spring normally acting to maintain the parts in spaced relation, 2. revoluble roller in each part, means revolubly connecting said rollers with each other irrespective of the adjustment of said parts, and means for revolving said rollers, substantially as described.

4. A fruit gatherer or picker comprising in combination, a two part manually operable holder, a pivot connecting said parts, a spring normally holding said parts in an open position, shafts mounted in said parts, gears connecting said shafts, rollers of soft material mounted on said shafts and adapted for engagement with the fruit to be picked, and means for revolving said shafts, substantially as described.

5. A fruit gatherer comprising in combination, a manually operable holder, shafts having inner ends mounted in said holder in spaced relation with respect to each other, having free outer ends unconnected with each other, rollers of soft material carried by said shafts, and adapted to engage the fruit, and means for revolving the shafts, substantially as described.

6. A fruit gatherer comprising in combination, a tower, a shafting mounted on said tower, a device for operating the shafting from the top of the tower, a device for opcrating said shafting from the lower portion of said tower, and a manually operable fruit picking mechanism having revoluble elements flexibly connected with said shafting, substantially as described.

7. A fruit picker or gatherer comprising in combination, a tower, shafting mounted on the tower and extending upwardly along said tower from the bottom to the top there of, a device for operating from the top of the tower and connected with the shafting near the bottom of the tower, and a manually operable fruit picking mechanism having revoluble elements flexibly connected with said shafting at the top of the tower, substantially as described.

8. A fruit picker or gatherer comprising in combination, a tower, a manually operable fruit picking mechanism having movable fruit engaging elements, an extensible shafting on said tower, and flexible means for connecting said mechanism with said shafting at different elevations, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARION I. RANDALL.

Witnesses:

MARGARET MAC LEoD, F. P. SoHRoEDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

